James Lawrence Wiechers (August 7, 1944 – October 15, 2018) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s.
| Jim Wiechers | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | James Lawrence Wiechers[1] |
| Born | August 7, 1944 Oakland, California |
| Died | October 15, 2018 (aged 74) Napa, California |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Napa, California |
| Spouse | Susan |
| Children | Erica |
| Career | |
| College | Santa Clara University |
| Turned professional | 1966 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 1 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 1 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | CUT: 1976 |
| PGA Championship | T29: 1972 |
| U.S. Open | T14: 1975 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Early life
editWiechers was born in Oakland, California.[2] He won the 1962 U.S. Junior Amateur while in high school.[3]
Amateur career
editHe then attended Santa Clara University and was a member of the golf team, winning first-team All-American honors in 1965.[4] He collected many honors during his amateur career including Golf Digest's Number One U.S. Amateur award in 1966.
Professional career
editWiechers turned professional and joined the PGA Tour in 1966.[5] He played on the PGA Tour from 1966 to 1979. His best years were in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s when he finished on the top-60 money list five times. He won one PGA Tour event during his career: the 1969 West End Classic.[6]
After leaving the tour, Wiechers first began working in California's Napa Valley wine industry in the 1980s. Then he returned to golf in the 1990s, first as head instructor at McCaffrey's Golf School in San Francisco, then as a teaching pro at Chardonnay Golf Club for 19 years, and finally at Eagle Vines Golf Club.[5] He also coached the men's and women's golf teams at Napa Valley College.[7][8]
Death
editWiechers died on October 15, 2018, at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California following a four-month-long illness.[2][9][10]
Amateur wins
edit- 1962 U.S. Junior Amateur
- 1964 Western Junior
- 1966 Western Amateur, Trans-Mississippi Amateur
Professional wins (1)
editPGA Tour wins (1)
edit| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 7, 1969 | West End Classic | −11 (70-68-69-70=277) | 2 strokes |  Al Besselink, Johnny Pott
|
PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1969 | Robinson Open Golf Classic | Bob Goalby
|
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bartlett, Charles (June 26, 1965). "Fleckman's 281 Wins N.C.A.A. Golf Crown". Chicago Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved October 29, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Jim Wiechers". Napa Valley Register. October 28, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
- ^ 1962 U.S. Junior Amateur
- ^ "1958-1969 All America Golf Teams from GCAA website". Archived from the original on June 26, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ a b "Bio page on Jim Wiechers' website". Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ "Awards page on Jim Wiechers' website". Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ "Jim Wiechers, Men's & Women's Golf Coach". Napa Valley College. Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
- ^ James, Marty (February 1, 2005). "Former PGA golfer new coach of NVC men". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ McCabe, Jim (October 17, 2018). "Wiechers, accomplished amateur champion, Tour pro and college coach, passes at age 74". PGA Tour.
- ^ James, Marty (October 16, 2018). "Jim Wiechers remembered by other former professional golfers and Napa Valley College". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
External links
edit- Jim Wiechers at the PGA Tour official site